State park welcomes playtime in January

Kayla McDonough, 12, of Carbondale, PA, takes a spin on a fat-tire mountain bike at Saturday’s Winter Trail Day at Prompton State Park in Wayne County, PA.

Contributed photo by Tammy Compton

Speaking with the Friends of Prompton State Park, Smith said he’d like to volunteer. “That’s what it takes to get projects like this done, to get people involved. Even if it’s one time, what a difference that can make.... If everyone was willing to do that, it could be that much bigger.”

The Barnes family of Dalton traveled 45 minutes to share in the grand re-opening of the 1,700-acre state park. Laurel Barnes, mom Linda, and family friend Nancy Fleming of Lake Winola were all keen on snowshoeing. A smiling Laurel said she even managed to convince her dad, Lee, to strap on a pair and take them for a test walk.

“My dad did it. He’s going to be 62 next month. My dad doesn’t do strenuous outdoor activities like skiing or ice-skating like we do, and he liked them,” said the younger Barnes.

A snowshoeing enthusiast, Fleming said, “You want to see the future generation getting out there and getting exercise and being outside.”

Having fun with brightly colored plastic sleds, Lori Curtis and son Seth, 15, of Waymart, were whooping it up on the snowy slopes with friends Maria Fox and Lyn Thorpe, 12, of South Canaan. Thorpe says nothing beats the great outdoors, with its offer of hunting, fishing, sledding, camping, snow boarding, etc. Curtis, who grew up swimming at Prompton State Park when it was allowed years ago, said she now enjoys the extensive trails.

There are 23 miles of trails to be exact, says Friends of Prompton Vice President Tim Pender. Though swimming is no longer permitted, Pender said Prompton State Park’s attributes are unlimited. Pender and his young family, wife Lindsey and boys Owen, 4, and Keegan, 2, are always up for a hike. The two little boys have a lot of questions, and they’re eager to know where the cliffs are and the waterfalls. “Every single time you go up there, you’ll see something different, whether it’s the park or the animals, nature abounds,” he said.

Pender invited everyone to come see what Prompton State Park has to offer. “We’ve got some really nice geography and we’re just looking to share it with others.”